Jaguarundi capture attention of National Geographic magazine

Jan Waddy / PanamaCity.com

Wednesday

Jan 15, 2014 at 12:01 AMJan 15, 2014 at 2:32 PM

PANAMA CITY — The jaguarundi at Bear Creek Feline Center recently caught the attention of National Geographic freelance photographer Joel Sartore, who captured images of the rare breeding colony for his Photo Ark Project.

PANAMA CITY — The jaguarundi at Bear Creek Feline Center recently caught the attention of National Geographic freelance photographer Joel Sartore, who captured images of the rare breeding colony for his Photo Ark Project.

“We’re the only ones in the U.S. that have them in captivity,” said Jim Broaddus, director of Bear Creek Feline Center, a member of the Feline Conservation Federation.

Sartore began the project eight years ago with the goal to photograph about 6,000 captive species of the world while documenting biodiversity. He’s more than halfway there.

Grégory Breton, International Studbook Keeper and European Endangered Species coordinator, makes allocations annually on the jaguarundi.

“He knows the lineage and who has cubs to provide for genetic diversity,” Broaddus said. “They have accepted us and are helping us.”

All together, BCFC has six jaguarundi at the center.

“None of these cats came from out of the wild — don’t do that,” Broaddus said.

With an assortment of Nikon cameras, Sartore photographed one of the cubs, “Yoda,” alternating between his signature white and black backgrounds.

“It allows us to get close and personal and look them in the eye,” Sartore told Broaddus during the Nov. 10 visit. “You can see details and what makes them marvelous.”

Sartore also captured images in the main jaguarundi night house of the adult female, Ruskie, who was gifted to BCFC by Zoo Novosibirsk, Russia, and her 6-month-old cub, Fraulein, named in tribute to friends at Zoo Dortmund, Germany, who sent the sire.

The endangered jaguarundi, native to Central and South America, also can be found in Texas and Mexico and are believed to be in Florida. As of Jan. 6, recovery efforts were in progress for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Gulf Coast Jaguarundi Recovery Plan. The small reddish brown felines are just a little larger than domestic cats, but make a fierce hissing sound upon being approached. Broaddus waved his hands in front of them to show they are all talk and no bite.

Feline Center

Bear Creek Feline Center sits in a residential neighborhood on 2.5 acres off Tracy Way, surrounded by a six-foot chain-link fence topped with barbed wire as well as a wooden fence. The center houses 24 felines representing six species, including North American bobcats and Florida Panthers.

“We are presently the only facility in North America that have in captivity all three of felines thought to live in the Florida wild,” said Broaddus, who has seen the bobcats and panthers in the wild, but still is on the look out for the jaguarundi — “the search for little foot.”

The endangered Florida Panthers also are part of the breeding conservation program.

Saint, a Florida Panther who made television appearances with Jack Hanna until he reached 40 pounds, joined BCFC about three years ago.

“Jim Fowler was my mentor. He taught Jack Hanna. He and I studied together, and he taught us how to connect with cats,” Broaddus said.

Saint, who now weighs in at 120, is housed with Dani, 60 pounds, changing the way Broaddus must now approach them.

“They don’t like you messing with their girl,” Broaddus said.

And even though all of the cats are behind double chain-link fenced cages, it will make you jump when they “check you out,” as Broaddus puts it.

“Captive animals are out of place,” said Broaddus, who never takes any animals out of the wild. “The government places them here. The mountain lion was placed by the FFWCC five years ago. We work closely with USDA-APHIS. It’s about species survival.”

Recently, Yoda had surgery for a hernia then gnawed through his belly, and BCFC requested donations on its Facebook page.

“We survive strictly on donations and tours, no funding from big corporations or government. They will place a cat here but give us no money to sustain it,” said Broaddus, who added it is “a labor of love.”

BCFC’s large volunteer staff includes flutist Paul McAuliffe, who featured the Florida Panther on his album “Young Cat Dreams.”

“We feed pretty much USDA table grade chicken,” said Broadus, who also pointed out the deer bones in the cages. “This whole thing is much more than feeding and cleaning; it’s behavioral enrichment. Bear Creek is an example of people who love cats and cats in turn that love people.”

Tours

On Thursday, Broaddus, 70, gave a brief tour of the facility that he opened in April 2000 with his wife, Bertie Broaddus, a teacher at Waller Elementary School in Youngstown.

“I was in the broadcasting business for 30-35 years,” said Broaddus, who previously worked for Island 106 and WPFM. “I used to work for MTV, Spring Break promotion, but don’t hold that against me. I got out of one wild business into another.”

BCFC, which has been recognized by the Florida Department of Education, gives educational tours by appointment only.

“We have all kinds of wonderful wildlife here. Most people who come here are snowbirds in the off-season. We give small tours of 10 or fewer, usually family groups, birthdays, pow wows and churches,” said Broaddus, whose tours usually last more than two hours. Sitting at picnic tables underneath the trees, there is a peaceful, yet eerie, serenity in being surrounded by large cats on the prowl, resting or at play.

“It was 18 degrees two days in a row here,” Broaddus said. “The Siberian Lynx were in hog heaven because of the region they come from. They get to come out here and kick their heels up.”

And for the warmer weather, “all of the night houses are air-conditioned,” Broaddus said.

The tour starts with the largest cat, Cleo, a 200 pound mountain lion.

“She’s 15, came from Holmes County, a pet for a guy in a sky diving accident. FWC orchestrated the move. Here, cats have a forever home,” said Broaddus, who grabbed a brush and went into the cage, shutting it behind him. “Are you still cold from last night? Hey baby girl, so big and beautiful.”

Broaddus is the only one who can interact like this in the cage with her, but he still hasn’t forgotten that this one put him in the hospital. About five years ago, he suffered a subdural hematoma after Cleo slapped him in the head.

“You have to be careful not let one of them get behind you, they are not your children; they’re wild animals. I feel honored to be in her presence,” he said. “The very same cat did this to me. She almost killed me, hit me real hard. But I’m still smiling.” Guests are permitted to go into the cage with the two African servals for photo opportunities. Species also include the Siberian Lynx and Geoffrey’s Cat.

“They are very intelligent,” said Broaddus, as he pointed to Siberian Lynx cage. “Once I had to take one to the vet after a cat fight. She would probably eat me if she had the chance.”

The fight was between Shakira and Natasha, and Shakira still remembers the pain of the vet.

“I was trying to introduce them in the conservation breeding program — wrangling two females with claws and teeth. She suffered a hematoma (blood clot), but Dr. Albert Byas fixed her.”

Hero, the male Siberian Lynx, was rescued from a fur farm in Nova Scotia.

“I paid $1,200 and had him air freighted for another $1,500 for the cat to save its life from the pelter knife,” Broaddus said. “There’s an interesting story on every one of these cats.”

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